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Re: Debian Free Software (FSF) or Open Source? (was Re; non-cd...)



On Sat, 27 Jun 1998, Kevin Atkinson wrote:
> 
> So which one does Debian which to support FSF or Open Source?  I really
> hope it is Open Source...
> 

Are you aware that the Open Source Definition found on www.opensource.org
is based on (almost exactly identical to) the Debian Free Software
Guidelines? Open Source is a synonym for free software; there is not
really an organized movement separate from the FSF definition of free. 
The FSF also endorses the Debian Free Software Guidelines, I believe. They
do not define free with the GPL, which is only one example of a free
license in their view. 

I think the contrast you're describing between free software and open
source does not exist. Open source is just a marketing name for free
software. Thus Debian is both, not one or the other.

There have been a number of people trying to get people paranoid about the
FSF and supposed "radicals," contrasting that with open source; but it's a
straw man. Free software and open source software are the same, and have
been from the start.

Havoc Pennington ==== http://pobox.com/~hp
(hp@debian.org)



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